Bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying-machines.



H. S. MAXIM.

BOMB FOR USE WITH AEROPLANES AND OTHER FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1912.

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BOMB FOR USE WITH ABROPLANES AND OTHER FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1912.

1,52,606, Patented Feb. 11,1913.

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i :STEVZENS MAXIM, 0F STREATHAM, LUNDQN, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOH T0 VICKEES LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. Jlil, 19113,

Application filed July 26, 1912. Serial No. 711,62?!

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM STEVENS MAX- 1M, a subject or" the King of Great- Britain, residing at Sandhurst Lodge, Streatham,

in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Bombs for Use with Aeroplanes and other Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification;

lhis invention relates to bombs for use in connection with aeroplanes and other flying machines and particularly to bombs of the character in which a detonating charge is retained in a tail tube in a position remote from the main charge until the bomb is discharged or released; the chief object being to insure the inununity of the bombs from premature or accidental explosion and to insure the safety of the aviator, without impairing the .eiiiciency of the working or the destructive eficct of the bombs.

According to this invention the detonat-' in charge is associated with a pole or tubu ar member which, when the bomb is discharged or released, is adapted to move relaor target.

When the bomb is attached to the aeroplane or flying machine the pole or tubular member is locked in such a manner that the position of the detonat-ing charge is outside or remote from the body of the bomb containing the main charge, and the detonating charge is only brought into position for tiring the main charge after the bomb is released from the flying machine forthe purpose of destruction, either during the tall or on impact.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation showing the improved bomb attached to the aeroplane or flying machine. Fig. 2 is a section of the fore part or the bomb taken along the axial line thereof. Fig. 3 is a section of the extensionor tail piece of the bomb taken along the axial line thereof. 4: is a plan View of the firing pin-shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a modified form of the bomb attached to the aeroplane or flying machine. Fig. 6 is a section or" the pole or tubular member pertaining to the bomb.

Fig. 7 is a section of the main body of the bomb taken along the axial line thereof.

Referring to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the detonating charge a is carried by a tube or rod or which is capable of sliding in a tail piece a formed or rovided on the bomb casing (1 The tube a is,

however, secured from moving in the tail piece a while the bomb issecured to the flying machine, by means of a pin or the like I), which passes transversely through the .tail piece a and the tube a; the said pin 1) being carried by the frame I) of the aeroplane or flying machine and being preferably hinged to the said frame. The bomb is attached to the frame I) of the aeroplane or flying machine by means of a sliding bolt if adapted to on age in eyes or lugs 6 formed or provided on the casing or shell (1 of the bomb;- the bolt being operated by means of a lever c or equivalent device mounted on the flying-machine conveniently to the aviator. When the bomb is released, the tail piece (1 thereof vfalls clear of the pin b bywhich the tube a or detonating charge carrier was held, allowing the latter to slide in the said tail piece forwardly of the bomb with the result that the detonating charge a assumes a position inside the bomb casing a", Fig. 2. A firing pin 0' is secured in the tail piece o being carried by an arm under the control of a spring 0 so that while the tube or pole a is locked in the tail piece a '(berore release, Fig. 3), the said spring controlled arm 0 pertaining to the firing pin 0' is supported by the said tube or pole a but when the latter moves forward and the detonati'ng charge a enters the bomb casing a as shown in Fig. 2 the firing pin 0 owing to the action of the spring (7 and a suitable stop 0 it found necessary assumes a position in the interior of the tail piece a and in line with a rimer d on the detonating charge a. lit wnl be understood that the nosaeoe mb casing a is provided with a centrai )ular passage (5 in and through which the )resaid tube or ole a resides and passes. The forward end of the pole or tubular mber a is provided with a nose or termi- ;ion (2 which normally projects from the ward end of the bomb casing a when bomb is released its travel is retarded by table means hereinafter referredtmso to ailow the said member a tosiide forrd under the greater or unretarded insnce of gravity and project to its full ent from the bomb casing. Thus the deto- ;ing charge a is brought to rest slightly ward of the firing pin 0 Fig. 2 so that en the forward end of the tube a strikes ground, object, or target it is forced inrd and causes the primer 0? to come viotly into contact with the firing pin, firing detonating charge a and expiodingthe in charge d in the bomb casing a before bonib actually reaches the ground. The ght from the ground at which the explo- 1 occurs may be varied by varying the gth or" the tube a or by teiescoping the is or otherwise providing for its eXten- 1.

bomb during its passage through the air, an reieased from the flying machine, [gs or webs (i are titted to the tail piece and a parachute or the iike may be seed to the said Webs by the cords (i for irding the descent or forward movement gravitation of the bomb casing a and tail :e a so that the firing mechanism perling to the bomb may be enabled to asas the required position tor rendering same operative. The parachute may sist of a sheet of canvas or other matesuitably secured to the taii of the bomb. n some instances, the pole ortubular nber may be constructed in such a manas to be capable of automaticaily extendfor instance, telescopically during the :ent or the bomb. Lduch an arrangeit is shown in 5 to 7 and in this i, the tube a is constructed in sections a lecreasing diameter in a manner well unstood, all the sections being adapted for lg heid in the collapsed position by the ining pin 5 carried by the flying nia- [e 7). Spring catches a or the are provided so that as the tube a nnaticaiiy extends during the descent of bomb the sections the tube are locked he ext -ded position. constructhe wing pin 0 is arranged Within the b casing 12 the detonating charge a tuated in the betorementioned teiescopic a errternaily to and forward the casing a and when the device is read from the i ying machine the telescopic 1 4' extends by the unretarded effort of 'ity white the travei of the bomb proper or the better direction and stability of is retarded by the aforesaid retarding means. As a result, the detonating chargea is held just forward of the bomb casing a and Upon the nose or forward extremity 03 of the telescopic tube or pole a striking the ground, the detonating charge a is driven into the bomb casing against the firing pin and exploded, thereupon igniting the main charge (Z and exploding the bomb.

What it claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent or the United States, is:

in a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, a charge of high explosive in'said casing, an extension on said casing, detonating charge in said extension remote from the main charge and a pole which is adapted to move relatively to the bomb when the latter is liberated, to bring the detonating charge out of said extension into position for firing the main charge upon the extremity of said polestriking the round, object or target.

2. in a bomb for use with areopianes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, acharge of high explosive in said casing, an extension on said casing, a detonating charge in said extension remote from the main charge and a tubuiar member associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is adapted to move reiatively to the bomb to bring the detonating charge out of said extension into position for firing the main charge when the extremity of said tubular member strikes the ground, object or target.

3. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, a charge of high explosive in said.

casing, an extension on said casing, a detonating charge in said extension remote from the main charge, a pole associated with saiddetonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is adapted to move relatively to the bomb to bring the detonating charge out of said extension into position for firing the main charge and a hiring pin which is automaticaily brought into the operative nosition when the aforesaid movement of the detonating charge takes place and which is adapted to fire said charge when the extremity of the pole strikes the ground, object or target.

4-. n a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying" machines the combination casing, charge of high erpiosive in said casing, an extension on said casing, a detonat-ing charge in said extension remote I om themain charge, a tubular member associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is iiberated is adapted to move reiatively to the bomb the detonating charge out of said extension into position for firing the main charge and a firing pin which is automatically brought into the opoaaeoe erative position when the aforesaid movement of the detonating charge takes place and which is adapted to fire said charge when the extremity of the tubular member strikes the ground, object or target.

5. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines, the combination of a casing, a charge of high explosive in said casing, an extension on said casing, a detonating charge in said extension remote from the main charge and a telescopic tube associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is adapted to extend and move relatively to the bomb to bring the detonating charge out of said extension into position for firing the main charge when the extremity of said telescopic tube strikes the ground, object or target.

6. in a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, a charge of high, explosive in said casing, a tail tube on said casing, a detonating charge in said tail tube remote from the main charge and a telescopic tube associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is ada ted to extend and move relativelyvto the liomb to bring the detonating charge out of such tail tube into position for firing the main charge when the extremity of said telescopic tube strikes the ground, object or target.

7. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, a charge of high explosive in said casing, a tail tube on said casing, a detonating charge in said tail tube remote from the main charge, a telescopic tube associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is ada ted to extend and move relatively to the liomb to bring the detonating charge out of such tail tube into position for firing the main charge, and afiring pin which is automatically brought into the operative position when the afore said movement of the detonating charge takes place and which is adapted to fire said charge when the extremity of the telescopic tube strikes the ground, object or target.

8. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination of a casing, a charge of high explosive-in said casing, a tail tube on said casing, a detonating charge in said tail tube remote from the main charge, a telescopic tube associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is ada ted to extend and move relatively to the bomb to bring the detonat-ing charge out of such tail tube into position for firing the main charge, means for retaining said telescopic tube in its ex} tended position and a firing pinvwhich is automatically brought into the operative position when the aforesaid movement of the detonat-ing charge takes place and which is adapted to fire said charge when the ex t-remity of the telescopic tube strikes the ground, object or target.

9. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and other flying machines the combination ofa casing, a charge of high explosive in casing, an extension on said casing, a detonating charge in said extension remote from the main charge, a telescopic tube associated with said detonating charge which when the bomb is liberated is adapted to exsaid tend, means for retaining said telescopic tube in its extended position, and a firing pin toward which the extended telesco ic tube and detonating charge move b0 ily when the extremity of the tube strikes the ground, object or target.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM; Witnesses:

F. J. PAPsoN, T. Salter Wannnn. 

